Tada! Next Chapter up! Sorry about the long wait guys, but never fear, I've not forgotten you.

I want to thank Pennieyoung for reviewing, that was awesome, and don't worry, I have no intentions of stopping anytime soon.

And one last thing, I realize I forgot to put pronunciations in the last chapter, so here they are:

Slithvehk(s): Slit-vek

Morehund: More-und

Anyway, ENJOY!

Belly of the Beast

Svalek had the distinct feeling that something was wrong. It was when he regained consciousness and his newly opened eyes were met with darkness he remembered what happed. He had been on MIV, inquiring as to the reasons the Slithvehks had become hostile to the Vulcan outposts. Everyone assured him nothing was going on, so he had decided to investigate himself, because it just wasn't normal that peaceful Vulcan kept ending up unnaturally dead.

He pushed himself to a sitting position and took out his phaser, listening for anything that sounded like trouble. As he sat perfectly still, his warrior skills instructing him at the moment, his eyes became adjusted to the dim light. He was in some sort of hall, he knew that much, and a dim glow was at the end. He got up and crept silently forward.

What had he done to get himself into this situation? He racked his brains to remember, but couldn't. Warning bells went off in his head. If he was captured, were the others captured? Torek and Felicity? Svalek rolled his eyes. He'd never hear the end of this one he was sure, he was the one that told the human it was perfectly safe to go on the surface, she had nothing to worry about in the least. Oh how wrong he'd been. But, there was the small chance that she WASN'T in any sort of danger….he doubted it.

Felicity Kirk was the one person Svalek didn't want aboard his ship, and that was one that was always at the wrong place at the wrong time. Hadn't he foreseen the fact that she'd be a problem? It was why he suggested the council to give her an assignment that would take up most of her time, so she would be out of the way, dealing with school work. He took in a deep breath, if he ever got out of where he was, he'd have to go and find her, he was sure.

When he reached the end of the hall he poked his head out cautiously, and was shocked at what he saw. It was a dimly lit street, with people, or what looked like people, walking around, going about their daily business. He holstered his phaser and walked out into open view, he didn't see that any of them were armed, and they looked ok enough. Still, you could never be too careful, so, as he ventured out in the streets, he kept his hand at his side, ready to fire if needed.

JE 10

It felt more like I was floating on my way down rather then falling. That familiar tickle in my tummy was present, you know, the one you get on roller coasters or if you go really high on swings? That tickle. I couldn't help but laugh at the sensation. I was glad Orson wasn't there with me, I'm sure he would've been screaming my ear off right then. Might as well have fun on your way down though, right? It felt like forever, but then the tunnel began to curve gently, and my ass was met with a hard surface, somewhat slimy.

From there the curves were numerous, and I had a hell of a ride on the way down, laughing and hollering like it was the best roller coaster ride in the entire world. Sometimes, I don't understand myself. My ride, however, was suddenly cut short when I slammed into something and tumbled out of the hole. I let out a little screech and landed on something soft, squishy, and screaming. "Get it off! Get it off!" before I could react, I was yanked too my feet and slammed to the wall. "Who are you?" Someone hissed, and I was looking to the prettiest blue eyes I ever saw. My breath was taken away. "I, uh, I."

"Iuhi? What kind of name is that?"

"Th-that's not my name." I managed, looking around. At least three other…beings were behind the one that had me pinned to the wall, and they all looked like pigs, they certainly smelled like ones as well. "Well then, what's your name?" The guy pinning me to the wall brought out a very nasty looking piece of cutlery. "Felicity!" I squeaked.

"What kind of name is Felicity?" His voice was rough, and I swore it sounded like he was from New York. "It's human."

"Human? What's a….human?"

"It's an….they're….we're the species that populates Earth. I'm from Riverside, Iowa." The guy snorted and looked at his other companions, they shrugged. "Who do you work for?" He asked, pressing the knife dangerously to my neck. "I don't work for anyone."

"Don't lie to me!"

"I'm not! I don't work for anyone! I'm a student ok? A freaking student! I just want to get back to my ship!" There was silence as the group looked me over cautiously. "If you're lying to me…"

"Do you think if I was any sort of threat to you guys I'd let you pin me to a wall for this long?" They considered my words. "Meatlocker, let her go." I scrunched my nose, Meatlocker? What kind of name was that? I didn't dare question it though. "Daisy," He turned to one of the pigs I assumed was Daisy. "She could be a spy for the Svlithvehks, they've been sending more and more troops To the Underbelly that is normal."

"you mean those stringy beings on…the surface? WE'RE UNDERGROUND?" I began to wriggle from Meatlocker's grasp finally putting two and two together. I fell for quit sometimes, and I didn't like the thought of being under who knew how many tons of dirt. "We're not underground, we're in the Underbelly." One of the pigs spoke up, this one looked no more than five years old in human years. "Shut Up Porkchop!" Someone hissed. This was almost too much for me and a gave a snort of laughter, but managed to withhold the rest. "What's the Underbelly?" I asked, trying to look as innocent as possible.

Meatlocker sighed and let some of the pressure off, though he didn't take his fist off my bunched up shirt. "We're what's left of the Time Before the Floating Cities." Meatlocker explained. "Floating Cities, the time before? I-what?"

"You're really dumb aren't you?" A tall skinny one said this time. "Hey pork breath," I snapped. "I've only been on this planet for a couple hours, your only the second…no….third species of aliens I ever met in my entire life, excuse the fuck out of me for being a little slow on the history you snot nosed-mmmph!" Meatlocker put his meaty, smelly hand on my mouth. He didn't seem worried about me biting into his finger, which I suppose was completely justified at the moment because I didn't want to get infected anyway, this guy looked as if he hadn't seen a bath in days!

"Well Snot-nose, looks like you pissed her off!" Meatlocker began to laugh, or what I thought was laughter, because it sounded more like snorting to me. And what kind of name was Snot-nose?! "Do you REALLY think she's a spy Meatlocker?" The one called Daisy asked. "No, I don't, we've never seen her kind before."

"Meatlocker?" Porkchop tugged at his leg. "What's a alien?" Meatlocker looked down at me. "She's an alien." Meatlocker said. "She's not of this planet, she's a foreign and new species."

"But she called us aliens."

"We ARE aliens to her." Daisy explained. "On her planet, she's completely normal, and we're not."

"Oh." Porkchop scrunched up her snout. "Are we gonna take her home?" She asked. Meatlocker looked down at me with squinty eyes. I merely looked back up, not sure what to do, I don't think I wanted to go home with these guys, they were strangers, and what if they tried to eat me? I was suddenly wracked with violent shudders as I remembered the Humanoids. "Aw, the poor dear is cold." Daisy cooed. "Of course we're taking her home."

"Now wait a Plarg! This thing could be a spy! A new type of spy!" Snot-nose whined. "We can't just her home! And how do we even know it's a her?"

They all looked at me and Meatlocker finally took his hand from my mouth. "I'm a her!" I squeaked. "And I told you, I'm not a spy, I'm a student, I study things. And all I want to do is get back to….the floating city and get back to my ship." Meatlocker crossed his arms and looked at me. "Which floating city?"

"What?"

"Which floating city?!" Prokchop yelled at me. "Maybe she's just hard of hearing?" She suggested. "There are seventy three floating cities all together, which one do you want to get back to?"

"Whichever THAT pipe leads to." I jerked my thumb back to the hole I had just been flung out of. Meatlocker looked long and thoughtfully at the hole, then at me. "You want to go back to Royal City." He said. "That's the main city, and it's a very dangerous climb up, guards posted all along the way."

"I can make it!" I said with determination I didn't feel. "A scrawny thing like you?" Snot-nose snorted. "Alright pork breath! You're asking for it!" I snapped. Meatlocker did that snort thing again and clapped me on the back rather hard. "I like you!" he said. "I like you a lot. I'll tell you what's going to happen. You'll come back home with my girls n' me," Porkchop and Daisy smiled and waved at me, I waved back, not sure if I was going to like this arrangement. "And if you help us and prove your worthy, we'll get you back up to the surface."

"I don't-" Snot-nose started, but was interrupted by someone running up to Meatlocker. "Th-there's someone r-running on the street!" He squealed. Meatlocker tensed and began to move, dragging me along with him. That was when I realized I was stuck in yet another ally. We got to the street and I groaned inwardly, of all the rotten luck, but that wasn't what came out of my mouth. "Captain Svalek!" I called, trying to wrench my arm from Meatlocker's grip. "I knew it! It's one of those killers! She's with them!" Snot-nose yelled. Daisy and Porkchop immediately backed up. "What? Svalek isn't-" I stopped. "Captain Svalek is my subordinate!" I said, a little too loudly. Svalek gave me a look, and I tried not to smile, oh how the tables turned. "If you let me go and talk to him," I continued. "I can assure you nothing ill harm you. He doesn't understand…common, only Vulcan." All the while he had been steadily approaching us, and I'm sure he had heard everything I'd said.

Meatlocker looked from me to Svalek. "I thought you said you weren't a spy."

"I'm not. I told you, I'm a student, and Svalek is my subordinate, he's under strict orders to protect me, and I'm SURE he doesn't like the fact that you're holding me captive."

Svalek seemed to get the hint and began to reach for his phaser, shouting threateningly in Vulcan, though what he said was as far as threatening as one could get. "I'm glad to see you're alright, but didn't we agree that you shouldn't make a habit of getting into trouble?" I glared at him and stuck my tongue out. "I was actually doing JUST fine until you showed up, thank you very much."

"Oh? Just fine, it looks like you got captured to me."

"Because thanks to you, they're very sure I'm a spy! I just finished convincing them I wasn't."

"Alright! That's enough!" Meatlocker barked. "Tell your bodyguard to stand down."

"Will you still help me get back to Royal City?" Meatlocker looked at me incredulous, Svalek began to make louder demands in Vulcan, which was funny because he was reciting Shakespeare in actuality. "Yes, aright, we'll help you, now call him off!" I waved my hand and Svalek put away his gun. Tension immediately lifted and Meatlocker let go of me. "Thank you," I rubbed my arm. I walked over to Svalek, feeling safer closer to him then next to the pig people. "Now, you said something about the Vulcans being killers?" I made a show of looking Svalek over, I was disturbed to note the number of bruises on his person. "What happened to you?" I asked him. "I honestly can't remember. I was investigating suspicious deaths of the Vulcan colony here. What happened to you?"

"I jumped down a manhole because I was being chased."

"Why were you being chased?" I shrugged. "What are you telling him?" Meatlocker snapped, now wary of me. "I was just asking him what happened to him. I'm sure the Vulcans didn't kill your people. They're not violent unless provoked."

"Well, they were killed in that camp! So we took action." I felt Svalek stiffen. I nodded in semi-understanding. "There's a game a-foot Watson!" I smacked Svalek on the back. He grunted and I winced, I hadn't meant to cause him more pain. "Alright, so, Tell me about…the Time Before the Floating Cities, please. And I'll see what I can do to help." I turned to Svalek. "Can you reach the surface?"

"I can not. And you will pay for slapping me on the back during training." I groaned and rolled my eyes. I REALLY hadn't meant to cause him pain!

The Time Before the Floating Cities seems the most peaceful time in the Pig People's history. (They have no name for themselves like the Slithvehks, they just call each other by their given names. I found out those names tend to center around pig related, or disgusting things. So far I've met Garbage-heap, Muck, and Booger. Booger is Snot-nose's older brother, and he's beefier and much nicer than the latter). It was a time where everyone was happy, even the poor had enough food on their plates to fill their bellies.

But the rich weren't too content with living on the same levels as the poor, so they decided to build a floating city for them, called Royal City, where the richest person would govern all the other rich people. Then, something happened on the main planet of MIV, a huge spill of toxic waste. (Again, I can't translate or spell their alien words, so I'm generalizing here). The waste got people very sick, it spread faster than they could fight it. Those who could moved into Royal City, and others were left to die.

Those who were left on the surface and survived the initial sickness band together, and made a new living. However, things went from bad to worse as time went on. More and more floating cities began to crop up, polluting the air on the surface, and blocking out the sun. "The shafts, like the one you popped out of," Meatlocker nodded to me. "Are the only things that give us clean air down here. Along with that, sometimes the Slithvehks throw their trash down here, scraps of food here and there, you know, the works." I frowned. It appeared that the Slithvehks and the Pig People came from common ancestry, before everyone became mutated with toxic waste, pollutants, and survival instincts.

It made sense why two species were so different despite only a few thousand years of evolution. Meatlocker continued the story. The people down here, having no way to get any other source of food but huge Frelicks (mutated rat things is the best way I can descriv them) and other vermin and whatever the Slithvehks decide the give them, are tired of living day after day that way. "So, we decided we were going to rebel, we don't need to go to the floating cities, we just want better living conditions, the people up top owe us at least that much, don't you think? I mean, after all, we're the ones they shit on day after day." I couldn't have agreed more. "Anyway, stay in this room, the streets are divided by gangs, you two got lucky, I'm nicer than most. I'll see you in a few Mortegs. (Fun Fact! A Plarg is a second, a Ploteg is a minute, a Morteg is an hour, and a Pluthoth is a day. It gets more complicated than that, but I didn't ask.) Meatlocker walked out of the room and I turned to Svalek. "So," I said, now speaking plain English. "How are you feeling?" Svalek merely looked at me and said nothing. "What?"

"I saw that look on your face."

"What look? I had no look."

"Felicity, you can't possibly help them in any sort of way. Besides, you're here as a simply observer, you're not supposed to help." I crossed my arms. "It goes against my moral code NOT to help." Svalek raised an eyebrow. "Fascinating, a human with a moral code." I huffed and turned from him. "You can do what you want, but I'M helping!" Svalek put a hand on my shoulder. "I don't think Torek would appreciate it if I abandoned his younger sister." I looked at him, happy that he was willing to help a little. "Besides, I can' simply ignore my Romulan upbringing."

I moved away from him then, a little shocked. Then, it suddenly dawned on me, T'Preen's forehead ridges. "She's a Romulan!" I gasped, more fascinated and pleased with my discovery than with the nugget of information dropped into my lap. "Yes, T'Preen is a Romulan. We shared parents for quit sometime." I merely looked at him. "That's why you're so intense!" I gasped. "You're Romulan too!"

"No, I assure you I'm a full Vulcan." I crossed my arms and looked at him studiously. "But you were raised by Romulans." Svalek nodded. "We're a like in more ways than you could ever imagine." Svalek whispered. I was going to comment that we weren't alike in anyway at all, but closed my mouth. I didn't know his story, so who was I to question the validity of that statement? But still, I highly doubted we were similar in anyway.

"It's time to sleep." He said. "Any good warrior needs to be well rested before battle."

"Do you think there's going to be a battle tomorrow?" I asked, snuggling into the sheets Daisy had laid down for us. Svalek lay down a few feet away. "I'm fairly sure. While you were listening rapt to the story, I observed our surroundings. It looked as though they were preparing for battle." I frowned. "I've never been to battle before." Svalek turned his back to me and curled up. "You'll be fine Miss. Kirk. I'll be there. Now be a good girl and go to sleep." I sucked in a breath and stuck my tongue out at him. The big jerk, I hadn't been the one to push him down a stupid tube. Still, I turned over and did what he asked me to.

Svalek was in an illogical turmoil. Felicity's reaction to the news he had been raised by Romulans had affected him more than he would've liked. In a moment he felt more hurt that Felicity had jerked away from him when he told he was raised by Romulans than he wanted to admit. But the hurt had went just as quickly as came. For one thing, his warrior's heart had no room for anything else but anger and pain from battle, and for another, her face had dawned in realization that T'Preen was a Romulan, and had not, in fact, contorted in disgust like he thought it would.

Did Felicity even know the distensible nature of the Romulans? He doubted it, if the human teenager couldn't have figured out that T'Preen was a Romulan, then she must not know very much about other alien species. Still, she continued to surprise. Her spur of the moment thinking got them out of trouble and embroiled in an even bigger mess than they needed to be in.

It wasn't all that much of a bad plan though, forgiving her human weakness. A Weakness she seemed determined to overcome and adapt to. She had earned a small amount of admiration from the unflappable captain for that. Not only that, she had been around Vulcans for two years, to have adjusted just fine. Something Svalek had yet to do. He still felt like an outsider among his own people, but Felicity seemed to have no problem fitting in. He rolled over and looked at her back, he noted her sides moving at an even pace, his questions would have to wait for later, she was sleeping.

JE 11

The memories have been too crippling to come out and face Svalek. I knew war was a terrible thing, what with the killing and the wounded, but I didn't know it was basically a slaughter, especially when one side as the upper hand. Even though the battle ended in victory for our side, I feel like the cost of the amount of lives was not worth it. Now, mixed in with the nightmare of the Humanoids, are the memories of death and destruction.

That night was an awful one for me. I was used to sleeping on uncomfortable bedding, but the sheets took the cake. They smelled and were scratchy, and they irritated the hell out of all the other scrapes that had yet to heal over in three days, namely the ones on the front part of my thighs, so that took away my favorite sleeping position. Another dead ringer was the fact that my body hurt all over, every pump of my heart sent a wave of pain to the furthest reaches of my anatomical structure.

I slipped into dreamless sleep sometime late last night, I was sure, because all too soon Porkchop was poking me with a finger, trying to wake me up. "Wha-?" I blinked open my eyes, the lights were dimmed enough not to burn my retinas. "Meatlocker says it's time to get up." She whispered. Porkchop was a little girl so ugly she was cute. She had tattered bows around her ears and a large protruding chin, her snout seemed to be constantly wet. She had the pretty blue eyes Meatlocker did, and I assumed he was her father, or her older brother, maybe even an uncle or cousin, but they had to be related somehow.

She shot a fearful look over to Svalek. "I'll wake him up." I told her. She smiled wide and toddles off, presumably to do morning chores. I got up, and stretched, wincing at the sound of my joints crackling. "Svalek, did you hear?" I called over to him. Nothing. "Svalek, it's time to wake up." I crawled over and poked him. He didn't even twitch. My heart pounded in my chest, had he died in the night? Some sort of Vulcan heart attack or something?

I put my ear up to his chest, hoping I'd find some tell-tale sign he was alive. Nothing. I gulped. "Svalek!" I yelled. Still nothing. Though a hand did come to rest on my butt. I squeaked and shot up. "Oh are you for real." I crawled on top of him and began poking his sides, hoping to tickle him awake like I did James. He reacted quite violently and flipped me over. I let out a little scream as he dragged me to the floor and pinned me there. "Ow." I gasped, moving my hand to the back of my head. "Felicity?" He frowned and looked at me. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Trying to wake you up. You slapped my butt!" I accused. "I most certainly did not."

"Yes you did! You totally did, in your sleep!"

"Why were you close enough for me to slap your butt?"

"Because you wouldn't wake up!" I complained. "You looked dead, and I listened for a heartbeat but there wasn't one, and then you slapped my butt!" He was going to retort with something smart but Meatlocker threw open the door. "Are you guys Read-" He stood and looked at us. A fierce bush washed over my face and I tried to shove Svalek off me. He pinned me back to the ground. "It's not what you think!" I called as Meatlocker began that weird squeal laughter of his. "No, stop, shut-up, it's not what you think! I was just trying to wake him up!" Meatlocker shut the door. "We have slop when you two are done having a romp. Thanks for not doing that stuff in front of Porkchop."

"It's not what it looks like!" I whined again, throwing my head back. I glared a Svalek. "I hate you." He merely looked at me. "if you hate me so much, why are you blushing? Isn't that a human thing that signifies interest in a potential mate?" My mouth hung open. "That…is true," I admitted. "B-but it's also a reaction indicative of extreme embarrassment,"

"Or pleasure."

"embarrassment," I continued. "Just as the moment I have just suffered."

"You liked it, even if just a little." I sat up and attempted to push him off me again. "No, I didn't, I don't like this one bit, not now, not ever. Aren't you a Vulcan? You're not supposed to tease! The complexities of such a human interaction should be lost on you."

His face came incredibly close to mine. I noticed my hand was still on his chest, he was even holding it there, against his beating heart. I gulped and my blushed deepened as he came close. Oh boy, I could now hear my own heart racing inside my chest. "Just because I am Vulcan, and humans are perplexing at the best of times, doesn't mean I can't enjoy the immense amount of pleasure I receive….experimenting with them, for a lack of a better term. You especially, Miss Kirk, intrigue me the most."

That explained the constant teasing. "Why you-you!" I removed my hand from his chest and slapped him, hard. I got the satisfaction of seeing the surprised look on his face. "Asshole!" I yelled, shoving him off me, this time, he moved. "Fiend, you stupid douchebag!" I continued, letting the anger and frustration at letting his comments slid for the better part of the trip. "How DARE you? Make me your PLAYTHING? Nothing is more despicable and outrageous offensive. My feelings are NOT to be played with! You make me sick!" I slapped him again and twirled on my heel. I wrenched open the door and left him there, that insufferable bastard.

As I made my way to the common room, Meatlocker and his troop were looking at me with wide eyes. I straightened my shirt out. "Trouble with the ah…your guard?" Meatlocker asked. I sniffed and sat in between the one called Garbage-heap and Daisy. The latter put a comforting hand on my shoulder but said nothing. "Maybe some slop would help?" she pressed a bowl in my hand. "Do you think he understood what you said?" Meatlocker asked thoughtfully, stroking his chin. "The message was loud and clear." I mumbled. I didn't even look at him as he walked into the room. I did sneak a quick glance at him and notice to my satisfaction a green tinged spot on the cheek where I slapped him.

Slop is actually NOT that bad. It's sort of like Plomeek broth, it was an acquired taste, and the more I ate, the more my taste became acquired. It was meaty, and brown, like a stew. I didn't analyze it too much for fear of finding something very appetizing about it. "Alright, so here's the battle plan." Meatlocker began while we ate. "I'll take Felicity and her friend up to the surface on my planned route. I'll plant the explosives in the agreed upon spots, and once everyone is in position, I'll set them off. And then, the war begins."

"Oh no." I groaned, placing the bowl in front of me, suddenly not so hungry. "What?" Daisy put a hand on my back. "Nothing." I whispered, putting my head in between my knees. We were going to kill people today, and that made me sick.

Svalek was worried about Felicity. While he thought her early reaction to his taunt was amusing and a bit overdone, the fact that she hadn't lost her pale complexion and the far off look in her eye gave him cause for concern. Had she mistaken his conduct this morning for something more than what it was? No, it couldn't have been that, she had gotten the sick look AFTER Meatlocker's speech, and had kept it ever since.

She seemed to get worse as they neared their goal. Had she grown attached to the denizens so quickly? Did she not want to leave? Or was she scared? She had never been to war before, and yet, she still volunteered her help. Meatlocker had asked her what she was good at, and she told him quit honestly, running. Svalek agreed with her self-assessment, Felicity was a great runner for a human sixteen year old female. "I'll need you to run supplies back and forth." Meatlocker finally ordered. She nodded. "And Svalek?" She whispered, retreating further into herself. "If he can fight, I'll need him to." She looked at him. "I'm assuming you're ok with this?" She said, remembering to switch to Vulcan. He gave a curt nod, and that was that. She hadn't said a word since. Now it was do or die time, and she looked worse than ever. "Alright, we all know the drill right?" Meatlocker said, looking back on his companions, he had gone over the battle plan at least three times.

Felicity looked at Svalek with big sad eyes. "Be careful." She whispered to him, squeezing his hand. "You be careful as well." She nodded, gulped, and looked to Meatlocker. "Let's do this." She said, voice shaking. Svalek hoped she would get through this without much trauma.

Well, this is fun...I wonder if Felicity will ever stop getting herself into trouble?

Anyway, I think the names in this chapter are pretty much self-explanatory! Hope you guys liked it.

Read and recommend please!